Maneka bats for son Varun as UP CM, BJP quiet

IANS and HT Correspondent,
Pilibhit/New Delhi

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Updated: Aug 04, 2014 23:29 IST

Union minister Maneka Gandhi batted for her son Varun Gandhi as the chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh chief minister, but top BJP leadership on Monday remained tight-lipped on the question.

The Union minister for women and child development had said her son and BJP MP from Sultanpur would be a good chief minister for the state.She accused the ruling Samajwadi Party leadership of “wilfully neglecting” development work, and maintained if Varun Gandhi were to be the CM, things would be much better.

She added, “In Uttar Pradesh the government is of Mulayam Singh, whereas in the Centre the BJP is in power. Mulayam Singh has wilfully stopped all development work in the state to teach a lesson to people for having voted for the BJP (in Lok Sabha polls).”

However, the BJP leaders remained guarded. Union home minister Rajnath Singh did not comment when journalists sought his reaction on Maneka Gandhi’s statement.

Minister of state for commerce and industry Nirmala Sitharaman said, “I will most certainly not like to comment. There is a party spokesman and a government spokesman. I am neither.”

Maneka Gandhi had expressed hope that the BJP will be elected to govern Uttar Pradesh when assembly polls are held in 2017.

“You wait for a year and see how the development of roads, schools and good power supply starts. It will be even better if Varun Gandhi heads the government.”

Uttar Pradesh BJP president Laxmikant Bajpai said it was too early to comment on Maneka Gandhi’s suggestion.